| New Brighton Lifeboat Station | |
| Map Type: | Merseyside |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Address: | Kings Parade |
| Location City: | New Brighton, Wirral, Merseyside, CH45 2ND |
| Location Country: | England |
| Coordinates: | 53.4395°N -3.0473°W |
| Building Type: | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Opened Date: | 1827 / 1863 |
| Owner: | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Website: | New Brighton RNLI Lifeboat Station |
New Brighton Lifeboat Station is located on Kings Parade in the town of New Brighton, on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside. A lifeboat was first stationed at Magazines village by the Liverpool Dock Trustees in 1827. The station was transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1863.[1]
The station currently operates a Inshore lifeboat, the Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No.51) (B-837), on station since 2009.[2]
In the 18th Century, vessels arriving in the Port of Liverpool were required to first deposit their gunpowder in the Gunpowder magazine, which was located in a secluded area on the Wirral, across the River Mersey from Liverpool. Over time, Magazine Village developed, and it was here that the Liverpool Dock Trustees placed one of their lifeboats in 1827, with a boathouse being constructed in 1828. The location was ideally situated to cover the mouth of the river. A second boat was stationed there in 1839.[3]
At a public meeting in 1862, it was discussed that a boat, located in the now increasingly populous area known as New Brighton, would be better positioned to effect a faster response into Liverpool Bay. The RNLI was approached, and agreed to provide a lifeboat station in New Brighton. An unusual new 'Tubular' type of lifeboat, named Rescue, was commissioned with J. Hamilton, Jnr, Windsor Works, Liverpool, and arrived on station in January 1863.[4]
Within 18 months, as the Liverpool Dock Trustees had found, it was necessary to place a second boat at New Brighton, and a No.2 station was started in July 1864. This boat too was unusual, as it was a 33-foot Iron boat rather than the usual wooden boats. She was named Willie and Arthur.[4]
In 1893, New Brighton received the Duke of Northumberland (ON 231), transferred from, as their No.2 lifeboat. The boat was a 50-foot Steam-powered lifeboat, using Water-Jets as a means of propulsion, over 140 years before this technology was again utilised by the RNLI in the present day lifeboats. When the boat was required to be returned to Holyhead, the RNLI commissioned another Steam-class lifeboat. Arriving on station in 1897, she was named Queen (ON 404) to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.[4]
It would appear that in 1923, the replacement lifeboat for Queen, a 60-foot lifeboat William and Kate Johnston (ON 682) was assigned to be the No.1 station boat, with the No.1 boat becoming No.2.[2]
Both No.1 and No.2 station boats were retired in 1950, being replaced by just one boat, effectively closing the No.2 station. The 52-foot lifeboat Norman B. Corlett (ON 883) remained in service until 1973, when it was decided that the All-weather lifeboat would be withdrawn, and replaced with a fast Inshore . With the Atlantic-class boat having to be stored 1.5 miles from the station until a new boathouse was built, a lifeboat was also placed on service for 18 months.[2]
In response to the number of rescues required on the large expanse of mud and sand at the end of the Wirral Peninsular, the RNLI placed one of their seven Griffon Hoverwork Type 470TD Hovercraft on station in 2004. This Hovercraft was relocated to in 2016.[2]
The following are awards made at New Brighton[1] [5]
To each of New Brighton lifeboat's crew - 1875
To each of the survivors of the crew of the Liverpool lifeboat - 1875
George Robinson, Coxswain - 1928
George Carmody - 1928
Samuel Jones - 1928
Peter Cropper, Liverpool Lifeboat - 1851
Thomas Evans, Magazine Lifeboat - 1851
Joseph Formby, Formby Lifeboat - 1851
Thomas Evans, Coxswain - 1863 (Second-Service Clasp)
Thomas Evans, Jnr - 1863
William Evans - 1863
Richard J. Thomas, Coxswain - 1870
Hiram Linaker, crew member - 1877
William Martin, Coxswain - 1894
George Robinson, Coxswain - 1928
William Henry Jones, Coxswain - 1938
Edward Brown, Coxswain - 1974
Robin Middleton, crew member - 1974
J W Bray, Mechanic - 1946
John Rowland Nicholson, crew member - 1928
George James Carmody, crew member - 1928
Ralph B. Scott, crew member - 1928
Wilfred Garbutt, crew member - 1928
Samuel J. Jones, crew member - 1928
William Liversage, crew member - 1928
John H. Moore, crew member - 1928
John Rowland Nicholson, Second Coxswain - 1938
Wilfred Garbutt, Mechanic - 1938
John E. Mason, Second Mechanic - 1938
William Stephen Jones, Second Coxswain - 1947
William Stephen Jones, Acting Coxswain - 1950 (Second-Service Clasp)
George Stonall, Coxswain - 1957
Edward Beverley Brown, Helmsman - 1982
Anthony Clare, Helmsman - 1988
Geoffrey Prince, crew member - 1988
Anthony Jones, crew member - 1988
Clifford Downing, crew member - 1974
Alan Boult, crew member - 1974
Ian Campbell, crew member - 1974
Edward B Brown, Helmsman - 1976
Michael Jones, crew member - 1982
Anthony Clare. Helmsman - 1988
Michael Jones, crew member - 1994
Tony Clare, crew member - 1994
Michael Jones, Helmsman - 1995
Michael Jones, Helmsman - 2000
Geoffrey Prince, crew member - 1988
Anthony Jones, crew member - 1988
Neil Jones, crew member - 1994
Barry Shillinglaw, crew member - 1994
Tony Jones, shore helper - 1994
Howard Jones, crew member - 1995
Neil Jones, crew member - 1995
Michael Haxby, crew member - 1995
Richard Finlay, County Rescue Boat - 1995
John Goodwin, County Rescue Boat - 1995
Mark Bland, Helmsman - 2005
Mark Harding, crew member - 2005
Greg Morgan, crew member - 2005
Barry Shillinglaw, crew member - 1980
Paul Wright, crew member - 1980
Howard Jones, crew member - 1980
Eight shore helpers from the station - 1980
Station Honorary Secretary - 1980
Philip Gerald Hockey, Lifeboat Press Officer - 2007QBH[6]
| ON | Name | In service[7] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| − | ||||
| − | 1845−1863 | [8] | ||
| Rescue | 1863−1866 | 42-foot Tubular | [9] Removed from service November 1866 for rebuild | |
| Pre-380 | Latimer | 1866−1867 | [10] | |
| Pre-387 | Willie and Arthur | 1867−1876 | 40-foot 3in Tubular | [11] Formerly Rescue at New Brighton, completely rebuilt |
| 71 | Willie and Arthur | 1876−1890 | 45-foot Tubular | [12] Withdrawn in 1890 when found to be defective. |
| 221 | Henry Richardson | 1890−1898 | 43-foot Tubular | [13] Became No.1 lifeboat when ON 71 withdrawn. |
| 414 | Henry Richardson | 1898−1919 | 43-foot Watson (P&S) | [14] |
| 637 | Staughton | 1919−1923 | 40-foot Watson (P&S) | [15] |
| 682 | 1923−1950 | 60-foot Barnett | [16] Largest RNLI lifeboat at that time. | |
| 883 | Norman B. Corlett | 1950−1973 | 52-foot Barnett | [17] |
All-weather lifeboat replaced with a Inshore lifeboat, 1973
| ON | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| − | 30-foot non-self-righting | [18] | ||
| Willie and Arthur | 1864−1867 | [19] | ||
| Pre-494 | Lily | 1867−1878 | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) | [20] |
| Pre-625 | Stuart Hay | 1878−1888 | 40-foot Tubular | [21] |
| 221 | Henry Richardson | 1888−1890 | 43-foot Tubular | [22] Became No.1 lifeboat following withdrawal of ON 71. |
| 231 | 1893−1897 | 50-foot Steam | [23] | |
| 404 | Queen | 1897−1923 | 55-foot Steam | [24] Left station to take part in the 1924 Thames flotilla for the RNLI 100th Anniversary |
| 637 | Staughton | 1923−1930 | 40-foot Watson (P&S) | |
| 550 | Anne Miles | 1930−1936 | 43-foot Watson (P&S) | |
| 535 | Charlie Medland | 1936−1938 | 43-foot Watson (P&S) | |
| 812 | Edmund and Mary Robinson | 1938−1950 | ||
No.2 Station Closed 1950
No.3 Station Closed 1887
| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-42 | ||||
| 1973–1981 | ||||
| B-549 | Blenwatch | 1981–1996 | ||
| B-721 | Rock Light | 1996–2009 | ||
| B-837 | Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No.51) | 2009– | ||